NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 241 War
Li Qingshan, Li Hanqiu, Alkaid, and others presided over the meeting, and soon after its commencement, the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect was set into motion.
In the decade or so following the conclusion of the Eastern Sea battle, everyone knew that the sect had entered a precious opportunity for peaceful development.
Everyone, from daily life to everyday matters, could feel the changes within the sect.
For example, the previously expensive floating carriages entered thousands of households, and nearly everyone could afford one.
Those magical artifact-level flying swords, worth millions, or even tens of millions, were no longer exclusive to high-ranking cultivators and the wealthy middle-ranking cultivators.
Ordinary middle-ranking cultivators could also afford them if they bit the bullet.
Furthermore, the price of the low-level elixirs needed for cultivation rapidly dropped.
Formations like Purifying Heart Formation, Stimulating Spirit Formation, and Spirit Condensing Formation, which originally required a hefty sum for a single use, also saw a significant reduction in their usage threshold.
The slightly wealthier middle class could even have these formations inscribed in their own yards, enjoying the conveniences of these formations at all times, ensuring that they and their children could quickly complete their initial and middle stage cultivation.
As for the wealthy class, it goes without saying that a villa equipped with a set of basic cultivation formations and protective formations had become the standard.
These changes in life made all members of the Nine Cauldrons Sect aware that the sect was getting better and better.
But as to how much better it had become, and what level it reached on the world stage, they couldn't say.
In the Void Divine Realm, there was some data about the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but the credibility of this data was worth examining.
In such circumstances, when the Nine Cauldrons Sect officially released its ten-year performance report, highlighting that the sect now had over 1.2 billion individuals who had developed Divine Sense and a total production of spirit stones reaching 464.1 million, the whole sect was astounded.
When enthusiasts presented the total production of spirit stones of all the countries in the world in tabular form, the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect erupted in excitement.
The figure of 464.1 million, only second to the Limitless Star Palace's 821.1 million and the Immortal Alliance's 625.8 million!
Below that, Myriad Beasts Sect, Supreme Yin Sect, Heavenly Law Pavilion, Golden Temple, their total outputs were basically between 200 million to 400 million.
Of course, there are also some large sects with high spirit stone yields, reaching a level that could compete with these Immortal Sects, but none of them, compared to the Nine Cauldrons Sect, were a step behind.
The Nine Cauldrons Sect had truly surpassed all other sects, becoming the world's third-largest economy!
Suddenly, an unprecedented sense of pride and honor filled everyone's hearts.
It was not long after these numbers were released that the Nine Cauldrons Sect announced another shocking piece of news.
The Nine Cauldrons Sect would hold a grand military parade in three months' time.
The specific number of participants and the scale of the parade would be announced in a month.
At that time, all the Patrol Heaven Warships independently produced by the sect would appear at the parade ground.
As for the specific performance and quantity...
Let's look forward to it for now.
The emergence of this news also provoked intense discussions in the Void Divine Realm.
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Everyone was speculating how many Patrol Heaven Warships the Nine Cauldrons Sect would bring out this time.
Meanwhile, forces from the same Heavenly Star Continent as the Nine Cauldrons Sect, such as the Great Sun Sword Sect, Primordial Yang Sect, Brahma Heavenly Kingdom, Star Sea Sect, Ancient Immortal Sect, Xuanming Sect, Dayue Dynasty, etc., convened emergency meetings following the release of this news from the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
Especially the Great Sun Sword Sect...
Not long ago, they had made an estimate of the spirit stone production of the Nine Cauldrons Sect for the Limitless Star Palace.
At that time, their highest estimate was only 400 million.
Many thought that 300 million was more reasonable.
But they never imagined that the final number disclosed by the Nine Cauldrons Sect would be over 50% higher than their 'reasonable' guess.
...
Inside the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall and the Minister of East Sea Archipelago Affairs, Chi Songzi; the Hall Master of the Penalty Hall, Teng Ye; the retired Bai Shi; and several other core figures like the Hall Master of the Guardian Hall, the Hall Master of the External Propaganda Hall, gathered by the summoning of Sect Master Longze Chuan, were having an intense discussion.
"Spirit stones represent the foundation of a sect, the productive power of a sect. Adequate spirit stones are needed to maintain more formation operations, to improve the cultivation environment within the sect, and to purchase a large amount of precious cultivation materials. The Nine Cauldrons Sect's spirit stone production has broken through to 464.1 million, and the sect's internal development definitely won't be poor! Especially their military force... it might be even more astonishing than what we imagined!"
"Not only that, the total value of 464.1 million spirit stones does not just represent the future potential of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but also indicates that the Nine Cauldrons Sect has made a breakthrough in Spirit Gathering Array technology! These breakthroughs will have surely brought them to the world's top levels in the field of Spirit Gathering Arrays!"
"If the Spirit Gathering Array has been broken through, then that's a big deal. Doesn't it prove that there exists a formidable array master within their sect?! After all, the arrangement of a Spirit Gathering Array is famously complicated! To lay down an array at this level, what level is that array master?! Seventh Level? Eighth Level? Or... Ninth Level!?"
"Ninth Level is impossible. Even the Limitless Star Palace, with its strongest array master, is only at the Eighth Level. No matter how strong the Nine Cauldrons Sect is, how could they possibly be stronger than the Limitless Star Palace?"
"An Eighth Level array master is already at the pinnacle of the world, with only three to five such individuals in the Myriad Beasts Sect, Supreme Yin Sect, and Limitless Star Palace. Even the Immortal Alliance does not have such a presence. Take the Limitless Star Palace as an example: their Twelve Divine Pillars formation can block Star God-level and Divine Beast-level forces! Not to mention the attacks of Patrol Heaven Warship-level."
"The Limitless Star Palace can manufacture Fourth Generation Patrol Heaven Warships because they stack top-notch formations... If the Nine Cauldrons Sect also has an Eighth Level array master, then... the rumors about them producing Fourth Generation Warships... might be true?"
Discussion after discussion emanated from the mouths of these Hall Master Level individuals.
The more they debated, the clearer the reasoning became.
As everyone pooled their wisdom and made guesses, the true strength contained within the Nine Cauldrons Sect gradually unveiled itself to everyone.
At this moment, those present suddenly realized that the Nine Cauldrons Sect...
It had indeed become so powerful.
More powerful than anyone expected, even beyond that.
For a moment, the chamber of exchange quieted down a notch.
When the Guardian Hall Master deduced from various aspects that the Nine Cauldrons Sect had likely produced the Fourth Generation Patrol Heaven Warships, everyone...
was at a loss for words.
"Why has everyone fallen silent?"
Looking at the suddenly chilled meeting room, Longze Chuan swept a cold gaze over the attendees, "Have you realized that the Nine Cauldrons Sect now has a Patrol Heaven Warship purchased from the Myriad Beasts Sect, our Spring Rain Vessel, the Vajra, a copy of the Vajra cast as the Dragon Steed, and also the four new warships from Jizhou, Qingzhou, Yangzhou, and Xuzhou, as well as the soon-to-be-completed Divine Land, the Fourth Generation Warship, totaling nine Patrol Heaven Warships?"
He stated heavily, "Have you realized that our powerful Great Sun Sword Sect has been unconsciously surpassed by the Nine Cauldrons Sect? Not only in top combat power and the Battle Courtyard but also in the number of Patrol Heaven Warships we've been so proud of. After all, over the past decade, we've only launched two Patrol Heaven Warships! Bringing our fleet up to six."
After a while, the Guardian Hall Master from below spoke up, "Limitless Star Palace will not let them be, as they have already withdrawn from the Black Flame Continent. Their next target will inevitably be the unification of the Cangwu Great World, and they may use every means except for the Golden Core to forcibly complete the unification of the Cangwu Great World."
Longze Chuan gave him a look, wanting to say coldly, "Has the powerful Great Sun Sword Sect now come to rely entirely on Limitless Star Palace?"
However, he heard other Hall Masters agreeing, "There's not much time left. It's said that the time agreed upon by those who went to the Northern Sea Star years ago was a hundred years, but... a hundred years is just a figurative number. It could be ten or eight years earlier or later. In other words, in as short as ten years from now, the situation in the Cangwu Great World could become clear."
"Indeed, in such a short time, we fear we will not have the strength to become the Heavenly Star overlord again and to obtain sufficient say in the reformed Cangwu Alliance Conference as the Heavenly Star overlord... Rather than that, it would be wiser to choose sides in time, opting for a powerful backer..."
"Fully tilting towards the Limitless Star Palace is indeed a good choice. If we decide early, we might even secure an important seat in the Limitless Star Palace-led Cangwu Alliance Conference."
The various Hall Masters spoke one after another.
These words effectively choked back the statement that was almost blurted out by Longze Chuan.
At that moment, he suddenly felt a sense of disgust, thinking that all the Hall Masters of the sect were fools.
He then regained his composure, realizing the cause of his disgust.
A sense of powerlessness.
Because he knew in his heart that he was unable to do anything, which led to that emotion.
The Nine Cauldrons Sect...
Had truly become stronger than the Great Sun Sword Sect without anyone noticing.
After a long time, he said somewhat dejectedly, "Then we might as well inquire with Limitless Star Palace and see what their response is."
"Yes."
The various Hall Masters responded actively.
...
In fact, there was no need for them to inquire.
The moment Limitless Star Palace obtained this public data, they had already convened a meeting.
Shortly after, the Golden Cores reached a consensus— they needed to suppress the rising momentum of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
But the lessons from Black Feather Sect made them realize that with Myriad Beasts Sect eyeing them, if they took action against the Nine Cauldrons Sect now, they would surely follow in Black Feather Sect's footsteps.
Therefore, before suppressing the Nine Cauldrons Sect, they had to first tie up the Myriad Beasts Sect, preventing them from interfering.
After discussion, the Golden Cores promptly gave an order to the current Palace Master of Limitless Star Palace, Chuan Yunhai.
Subsequently, Chuan Yunhai made a three-day visit to the Immortal Alliance.
No one knew what the Palace Master of Limitless Star Palace discussed with the eight major families of the Immortal Alliance or what agreements were reached.
All that was known was that less than half a month after this visit, the Witch Sect, located near the Myriad Beasts Sect's headquarters — or rather, less than thirty thousand miles away — suddenly announced plans to convene a meeting to discuss joining the Immortal Alliance as the ninth major "family."
As a Sect with narrow and long territory, the Witch Sect was closest to the Myriad Beasts Sect's headquarters at less than thirty thousand miles.
Should the Witch Sect truly join the Immortal Alliance...
The previously opposing Immortal Alliance would effectively be right under the nose of the Myriad Beasts Sect.
At that time, all they needed to do was to arm the border of the Witch Sect, set up numerous formations, and prepare ample supplies, and it would be tantamount to going to war with the Myriad Beasts Sect in their backland.
If it came to that step, the situation for Myriad Beasts Sect would become unprecedentedly passive.
For this reason, Myriad Beasts Sect strongly objected.
However, the Witch Sect was determined to join the Immortal Alliance, with a resolute attitude.
Thus, within a mere half a month, the climate on the continent shifted dramatically.
The great behemoth that had recuperated for just over a decade—Myriad Beasts Sect—was stirring once again.
A war deliberately provoked by the Witch Sect, or rather, against the Immortal Alliance and Limitless Star Palace, suddenly erupted.